Railway system



Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET lllllllllllllllllll w RAILWAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. I920.

My r" wwx G. B. SAMUELSON AND W. H.-GLAS ER.

M. 3% n 3N Q 3 G. B. SAMUELSON AND W. H. GLASER.

RAILWAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1920.

Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. B. SAMUELS ON AND W. H. GLASERQ RAlLWA Y SYSTEM; APPLICATION FILED MAY l2. l920- 1 ,35 3,423. PatentedSept. 21, 1920..

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F'J. 7 g+ SHEET 4.

4 SHEETS Patented Sept. 21, 1920.

RAILWAY SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1920.

G. B. SAMUELSON AND w. H. GLASERLI 1T S T A Pram OFFICEJ GEORGE BERTHOLD searnELsor 'oE rstnwoarrr, AND WILLIAM HENRY GLASER, or

' TUNIBRIDGE WELLS, ENGLAND. v

RAILWAY SYSTEM. 7

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 21, 1920,

Application filed May 12, 1920. Serial No. 380,949.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, GEORGE BERTHOLD SAMUELSON and WVILLIAM HENRY GLAsER,

-subjects of the King of England, residing,

respectively, at Isleworth, in the county of liliddlesex, England, and Tunbridge Wells, in the county of Kent, England, have inveuted certain new and useful Improve ments in Railway Systems of which the following is a specification.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to railway systems and has for its object to provide a railway or the like serving a large number of stations, wherein a high average speed is maintained, or in other words, the time occupied in traveling between any two given stations is reduced to a minimum. I y

This invention therefore comprises a railway system wherein the aggregation. of vehicles constituting a train does not stop at each station, but a coach is slipped from the train to provide transport to the station and another coach to provide transport from the station is started therefrom in advance of the train so as to be overtaken by'itand coupled to it; means'are provided to establish communication between the individual coaches when coupled together in a train.

Passengers boarding a coach at a station remain in that coach until it is coupled up to the train which has overtaken it and then walk toward the rear of the train until they reach a coach allotted to the station at which they wish to alight. They remain in this coach until it is slipped from the train and stops at that particular station. It will be seen therefore that as far as any individual passenger is concerned the train in which he is traveling does not stop from the time he enters the coach at the station until he leaves another coach at his destination. 7

It will further be seen that the train slips a coach at each station-to be served and picks up another coach from thatstation' so in the form of a closed ring around which the trains circulate without stopping Obviously however the invention can be applied to an ordinary railway in which the train is arranged to stop only at the terminus at each end. Further it will be appreciated that the numberof coaches allocatedto a station will depend upon the number of passengers desiring to travel to or from that station, and that such-group of carriages will be picked up by the train and slipped by the train as a unit. .F or simplicity in the description hereafter however, it will be assumed that only one coach is slipped at each station.

The invention is most advantageously applied to a railway system in which the vehicles are electricallyepropelled and it will be described as applied to such a System.

When a coach leaves a station in advance of a train it is gradually accelerated up to a speed approximately equal to that of the train but preferably'slightly below it sothat the train can overtake it, the shock due to the slight difference in speed being taken by tem, wherein a uniformly moving train overtakes and is coupled to an accelerating coach starting in front of it on the same line, there i is provided means for preventing the train' from overtaking the coach too rapidly (i. 6. before the latter has attained the desired speed at which it may be coupled to the train) comprising a control line (for examplea line supplyingpowerto the train) for the train divided :into insulated sections, and a series of switches to be automatically operated by the passage of the coach which is in advance of the train to energize said sections, said switches being spaced from the starting point of the coach at such intervals predetermined from the acceleration characteristic of the coach, thatthe coach shall have attainedapredetermined velocity and position before it energizes each section of the train-control line, where by the space intervalbetween the train and the coach is governed by progress or the ve- V locity of the coach.

According to another feature of the invention, similar means may be provided for preventlng' a coach, from attaining such. a

speed that it cannotv be overtaken by the ized control line for the coach controlled by.

switches which are operated by the train,

the lengths of the sections of control linefor the coach and the spacing of the switches operated by the train being such that the power supplied to the coach is cut off unless the train is Within the predetermined distance from the coach at any given time;

v According to another feature of the invention each of the said switches controlling a section of a train-control or coach-control line is made in the form of a two-way switch, and is put in series withanother two-way switch which is situated at that end of the section at which the train or coach leaves the section. The second switch is adapted to be operated by the vehicle leaving the section,- and the whole arrangement is such that a section is energized by the coach '(or by the train) to permit the passage therethrough of the train (or of the coach) and when the train or coach has passed 7 through the section it operates the second two-way switch, to deenergize that section.

After the coach has attained its normal full speed and is coupled to the train, it is not necessary for it to draw its power from the coach-control line, as it can draw it instead from the train-line and the coach control-line can therefore be omitted, or a dummy line used between the stations.

In order that the operation of the railway hereinbefore described may be automatic, the

coaches, according to another feature ofthe invention are fitted with means for operating' the above-mentioned switches, which means are controlled by the position of the buffers of the coaches to' be operative or inoperative according as the front and rear buffers of thecoach are either, neither or both engaged with the buffers of another coach. In this way, the single coach which starts from the station and accelerates can be made to operate the energizing switches on the train-control line, but not to operate the deenergizing switches for the sections of that line and similarly the coaches when coupled together in a train will operate only the switches LOIitIOlllDg the progress of the coach and the deenergizing switches for'its own sections.

'A ccording to yet another feature of the invention, in order to insure automatic working, it is necessarythat a coach should draw its power from the coach-control line while it is running independently-as a coach but'tha't, when coupled to a train, it should draw its power from the train-control line. Aczi'ording to this feature of the invention, therefore, there is provided on each coach a selector-switch device which is operated coach;

the coach is independent) to connect the I out its cycle of operations, there is preferably rovided on each coach a regulating device of the type described in the concurrent British patent application No. 11979 of 1919 in the name of W. H. Glaser. This device comprises a'inovable mass such as a flywheel, means for imparting to it a uniform velocity or acceleration or retardation, and a difi'erential'gear whereof one element is driven by this flywheel and the other element is driven by the coach, (say by one of the running wheels of the coach); The differentialdevice is connected to a suitable controlling device such as a rheostat in the power-circuit of the coach so'that the supply of power to the coach is varied to maintain its speed or acceleration or retardation proportional to the predetermined speed or acceleration or retardation at which the flywheel is caused torun. i y

In addition to controlling the supply of power to the coach, this device may also be caused to control electrical braking means on the coach. I

According to another feature of the invention, turnstiles are provided at the stations to regulate the admission of passengers to the coach standing at the station, and 'preferably these turnstiles are automatically locked and unlocked according to the position of the approaching train.

Other features of the invention Will be hereinafter described, and the novel features thereof are pointed out in the claims appended to this specification.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a particular application of this invention,

Figure l is a diagrammatic representation of the lay-out of the power and control lines for an electrically operated railway in the nei hborhood of a station; V *ig. 2 is .a partial side elevation of 'a coach; V

Fig. 3 is a partial end View looking from the left hand end of Fig. 2 of the same F ig. 4 is a plan of the connections between the buffers and the controlling switches;

Fig, 5 is a plan of a selector-switch mechanism Figs. 6, 7, 8 and!) are diagrammatic views being at the right hand side, and Fig. an

isolated coach after it has been slipped from a train and is approaching a station whereat it is to stop.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the. figures.

The general construction and arrangement of the railway will first be described with reference to the diagrammatic arrangement shownin Fig. l, and the details will be described later with reference to the other figures of the drawings.

Referring first to Fig. l,'a single-track railway is indicated at 10 and a station thereon at 11. A power-supply line 12 extends throughout the length of the line 10, but is interrupted and sectionalized between two points 13 and 14 on either side of a station. The train is supposed to travel in this View from leftto. right as indicated by the arrow 15. At the gap 14 inthe power-line 12, which gap is on that side of the station by which the train leaves, two branches 16, 17 are provided. The branch 16-extends as far as the more remote end of the platform at which the coach stops, while the branch 17 extends as far as the other gap 13 in the power line 12.

The power-line 12' between the gaps13 and 14 is divided into a series of insulated sections 18, which for simplicity are illustrated as being of equal'length; each section is provided with a two-way switch at that end of the section by which the train leaves, these switches beingindicated at A B C D E F I The branch-line 16 has arran ed along it a number of two-way switches, E, B, C, D, E, F which are connected to the corresponding switches A to F so that power can be supplied from the line 12 through the branch 16 and through any pair of switches A, A or B, B and so on, to the corresponding insulated section 18. The switches A to F are spaced apart by such an amount that a coach starting from the station and moving with a predetermined acceleration passes each switch at an interval of time equal to that taken by a uniformly moving train to traverse the length of an insulated section 18. The acceleration and spacing are so chosen that if a coach starts from the switch A'at the time a train enters the first insuwhen it reaches the gap 14 in the power-line,

' and the "train will have overtaken it about at this time.

-The branch linel? is providedwith a series of two-way switches marked respectively a 6 0 al 6 f spaced along it at intervals, .which for convenience are-shown as equal to one another. These switches are connected to a series of similar two-way switches, 0,1), 0, (Z, 6, f which are spaced along the line 19 at intervals such that a" coach starting and accelerating from the station passes the switches in successive intervals of time equal to the time in which a uniformly moving train passes the switches a to F. The switch a 'is placed 0 posite the gap 13 in the power-line 12, and tiie switch 7" is placed opposite the gap 14 in the powerline 12. The line 19 terminates at the switch f although it may, if desired, be continued its a completely insulated and inoperative me. connected at 20 to the power'line 12, in order that a coach intended to stop at the station 11 has a power-supply available for. use if required until it reaches the station. 7

. Each coach which is used on this railway carries at its forward end' a slipper 30, adapted to engage the power supply line 12 or the insulated sections 18 thereof. Each coach further carries at or near its forward end a striker 31, which is adapted to operate The left-handend of the line .19, is

the switches A to F as it passes them.

Assuming, therefore, that the switches A, A are correctly positioned to supply power to the section 18, the slipper 30 will collect such power but when-the coach leaves that section the striker31 will operate the switch A to cut off the power supply to that sec tion, and this action isfrepeated with each of the sections.

.Each coach "also carries at its rear end'a slipper 32 and a striker 33 which operate in exactly the same manner to enable power to .Each coach further carries at its frontend a striker 34 to operate the switchesa to f andat its rear end a'striker 35 to operate the switches A to F. All these strikers and slippers are arranged to'be selectively opera tlve in the manner hereinafterfdescribed.

"The operation of this railway will now be described with reference to a train and in;

dividual coaches. Assuming that a coach 40 iscstandi'ng at the station 11,"it occupies a position such that'its rear end lies between the switchesA and B so that the striker'35 has operated the switch A just before the coach stopped in the station, This'operation of'the switch A has energized through theswitch A the first insulated section 18. Theswitches a, a? are so set that no power is supplied to'the shortsection of the line 19 controlled by them.

- Assume nextfla. train made .up of five coaches marked respectively 41 to 45, approaching the station 11 from the left.

d When the front 'of the coach 41 reaches the gap' 13 in the line 12, the striker 34 on thatcoachv operates the switch a and thereby energizes the section of the line 19 with which the slipper 33 of the coach 40 is in contact The coach 40 therefore starts to move.

The lastzcoach 45 of the train is slipped conveniently at about this time, so that by uniformly retarding its speed it can pull up at the desired point in the station 11.

. Since the first insulated section 18 had been made alive by the operation of the switch A, as above-mentioned, the train con tinues to travel forward, but about the time that it reaches the switch A the coach 40 in its progress from the station operates the switch B so as to supply power through the switch B to the'neXt insulated section 18 for the train. 'VVhen the train leaves the first section it throws tlleISWltCh A into the oil? position by means of the striker 31, thereby rendering the firstsection dead.

At about the same time, the striker 34 on the front coach 41 of the train operates the switch 6 to supply power to the next in sulated section of the line 19 so that the coach 40 is also permitted to continue in movement. When the coach 40 leaves its first insulated section 19 the striker 33 operates thcswiteh ato render the first section 19 dead. This series of switchoperations continues until the coach and the train have V 1 both passed the gap 14 at which point the train has overtaken the coach, and the coach has attained a speed equal to or slightly less than that of the train and the two have been coupled together. After the train 41'44 has passed through the station, the coach 45 pulls up inthe station, and just before stopping, it operates the switch A so as to render the first section 18 alive. The coach 45 755 r insulated sections ofthe line 19 were simistops before itreaches the switch B, and therefore all the connections are exactly the same as when the coach 40 was standing in the station, and the passage of the next train repeats the-whole cycle of operations.

It will be seen, therefore, that when the coach 40 was standing-in the station, all the insulated-sections 18, except the first one, of the train line12were dead, and that all the 7' larly deadso thatno movement of the coach was possible until a train came within a predetermined distance of it and operated the switch 1 v i Further-it will be seen that the progress ofthecomplete train from one insulated section-18. to another is determined by the progress of the coach 40 in advance of it, since if the trainfor any reason overtakes train not having reached and operated the p i appropriate switch for that section. There-' fore the coach and the train mutually control each others position on the track 10 in such,

a manner that they both arrive at the point 14 atthe same time and with the same or approximately the same velocity'sothat'they can be coupled together. The coach 40 then becomes the front coach of the train, which again consists: of 5 coaches,40 to 44' respectively, the rear coach 45 being then stopped in or approaching the station 11.

It will be appreciatedthat every coach has. tobe provided with slipper 30, 32 and strikers 31, 34, 33, 35 and that it is necessary that these should be selectively opera-- ti ve as above mentioned, that is to say, when the coach is not coupled up andforming part ofthe train, only the strikers 33 and '35. are to be operative, the strikers31 and 34'being inoperative. Similarly, when the coach is coupled to the-train. the strikers'31 and 34 on the front coach are to beoperative, but on the remainder of the coaches all the strikers are to be inoperative, until the coach is slipped from the rear of the train when only the strikers 33 and 35 are to become operative. It is desirable also that the collecting slippers 30, 32 should be se- ,lectively operative in the same way. This and selective operation of the strikers switches is affected by operatively connecting them. for example mechanically and electrically, with thefront and rear buffers of the coaches so that as these buffers are pressed inor out, so the appropriate con nections are made in the manner no'w'to be described.

Referring now to. Figs. 2, 3 and 4, each coach-frame 50 is supported on two bogies "51, 52, the bogie51 being situated at the front end of the coach in its direction of o travel. The buffers at the front and rear ends are indicated at 53,, 54 respectively and they are connected to: any suitable resilient controlling device such as. springs and dashpots'mounted' in casings 55, see Fig. 4. The

selector-mechanism for the switch-gearis' mounted in a casing 56 hung on the under side of the frame 50. From this casing 56 there" project longitudinally of the frame two plungers 57 and 61 respectively, seeiFig. 4. The plunger 57 is connected to a belle crank lever 58, which lever carries at its other'end a roller 59,. bearing on. a wedgeshaped or conical ended: member 60, carried by or movable with the buffers 54. When 1 these buffers are pushed in against the 55 7. pivoted at 73 and similarly carries bridging until they springs 55, the roller 59 rides u inclined surface 60 at the' begmning 0 such inwardthe bogi'e pin "66 of the front :bogie and another piece of apparatus 67 respectively} 1 The connection betweenrthe plunger57 and the bell-crank lever 58 owing to its being slightly eccentric clears the corresponding bogie-p'in 68 at the other end ofthejcoach.

The selector-switches in tl1e casing56 are illustrated in Fig. 5; The arrowZ at the top of the figure indicates thedirection'of movement of the coach *so that the righthand side of'this figure is the forward end and the plunger 61 is connected to the front buffers of the coach as above-described and the plunger"57 is connectedto the rearbuffers of thecoach. f

These two plungers 57 and 61"control two main switch members by the movements imparted to them fromthefbuffers. 'For con-- venience in description, the position of the plunger-s will be described as in or out according to whether they have moved into the casing or out from the casing. That is to say, the plunger 57 is shown in-its out- 7 position, but can be moved in toward the right in Fig. 5, and the plunger 61 is shown in its in position fand is movable to its out position also toward the -r1'ght in "Fig. 5.

One of the main switch-members aforeend an insulated bridging contact 64, 65 respectively. The contact 64: alwaysengages the stud 66 at one end but is movable 'be.-;

tween two studs 67, 68 at the other end. Similarly the contact-piece always engages a stud 69 at oneend but engages one or the other of a pair of studs 7 0, 71 at its .other end; The two contact-pieces are insulated from one another. r v The second main. switch member 72 1s contacts 74,75 which engage respectively switch. Each of these main switches has coupled to it an auxiliary switch 82, 83 respectively, these switches carrying insulated bridging contacts by which connection may be made in one case betwen contact studs said 62 is pivoted at 63 and carries at each 84, 85 and in the other case b en; gamer s'tuds 86, 87.

- The two switches 62, 72 are controlled by pins 66 'upstanding'on themi'and engaging- 7 slots ln'bars connected to the two plungers 57, 61. The pins86 and their coiiperati'ng' slots are so positioned that when the front.

plunger 61 is in it pushes bothswitches into their off positions as shownin 5. it will be seen that this is effectedby' arranging one pivot 63 on one side of" the plunger 61 and theother piv0t73, on the other side of that plunger. SimilarlyFthe rearplunger 57 when pushed infpushes the V swltch 72 into its.oif position,- but ithas I a lost motion engagement with-the sw'itch 62 andidoesnot-directlyoperate-itlg 1 A; tension spring 88 isprovided -neanthe lower ends of the tw o-switch-members5 62,v

and thereby operate the switches when'g 72, tending to draw 'those endsl'together I permitted by their engagement with thel plungers. It will be seen on reference to Fig55 that the contact 67 is of'agre'ater angular length, .1}

measured by the movement of the switch arm 62 than is the contact 68 and' that contact 78 is similarly of greater angular length than the contact 77. The'reason for this is to insureaccurate timing-of the instant operation ofthe switches. In thecase of the switch 62, this operation is effected by the inward movement of the front buffers. These buffers move inward taking Tu p' 'the lost motion above-mentioned; As they'ap 4 proach the end of their strokethey 'nr'ove and just on the completion of their operative stroke'theblade64t passes from the con tact 67 to the contact 68.

soon as the buffers begin to move inward.

The advantages obtained from this relative d enove dimensioning of the angular len gthof the contact studs are obtained'in fall thelopera tions of the switche'xcept when theswitch 72 is operated from the position show ruin Fig- 5 by the outward movement of plunger 61. The plunger 61 moves outward v V as soon as the bulfers begin to moveou'tward but owing to the length of the contact78-la very brief interval of time elapses beforetheblade 7 4 reaches the contact 7 This how ever is immaterial in view of the advantages obtained in the otheroperations.

The'vario'us' possible-positlons or setting in Figs. 6, 7. 8 and 9.

of the switches are shown diagrammatically 100 the switch-blade 64 along the 'contact 67j switches '62, 72 into their off positions againstthe action of the spring 88.

. 0 a it can be removed therefrom into contact .with the stud 93 either by energizing the coach is independent of any other coach-and its buffers are therefore both in their outward'po sition. 'Both the .plungers 57, 61 are I out. ,The switch 72 is then in its on 7 position, but the switch'62 is in its off In Fig. 7 there is shown the setting when the-coach is the front'coach of a train; that is'to. say, itsfront buffers are out and its rear buffers are m. The plunger 57 1s pushed in and pushes the switch 72 to its reference'to Fig. 1.

' in F i 3 and in various other fi ures.

off? position. The spring 88 being extended rocksthe switch 62 into its on position', this being permitted by 1 its lost motion connection with the two plungers.

In Fig. 8 the setting is shown when the coach is anintermediate coach of a train that is to say when both the front and rear buffers are'in. The plunger 61 pushes both Fig. ,9 shows the setting when the coach is the rear-coach of a train and its front buffers are in but its rear buffers are out. The front plunger 61. still being in its in position holds both switches in their off position, the rear plunger 57 not affecting either of them.

These four views showall the possible arrangements of the switch-members 62 and 72.

In order to provide for a continuous sup ply of power for the operation of auxiliary devices on a coach or train where it is being controlled by the sectionalized lines 18 or 19, a third power line 90 may be used as showIn t does not, however, affect the method of control of the coach and train as described with The slipper making contact with this power-line is connected to a terminal 91 inthe selector-switch casing,

F'g.5, and this terminal is connected to the.

studs69, 7 9respectively in order that it may be connected by the operation of the switches to the studs 71, 81 respectively for the purpose hereinafter to be described.

' The st'udg67 is connected to the slipper 30 on each coach :(and thence to the line-12,

1 18) and the stud 77 is connected to the other slipper 32 on each coach (and thence to'the line 19) as illustrated diagrammatically in Fi 5..

V nother; element of the control-switchgear is constituted by an electro-ma-gnetically controlled switch 92 (Fig. .5) which oscillates between two contacts 93 :94. This switch is spring-controlled so that it normally lies against the contact stud 9.4:, but

electro-magnet 95 or by a pin 96 on the plunger 61, thepinbeing so situat d h t whenthe plunger-61 is in its 7 in 7-? position the pin holds the contact 92 against the contact 93. A branch-piece 97'0n the contact 92 .is arranged to make contact at all times tro-magnet 95 The other end of this winding is connected to a terminal 99 which is connected as hereinafter described to an other portion of the apparatus; Other details of equipment of a coach comprise a regulating-device of the type de- I scribed in. the concurrent patent'application No. 11979/19, inthe name-of W. H. Glaser,

above noted. This device. comprises .a mass such as a fly-wheehineans for imparting to it a uniform velocity, acceleration or re tardation, and a differential gear whereof one element is driven by this fly-wheel and 7,

the other element is drivenby the coach, for example, by one of the running wheels of the coach. The difierential'dcvice is con-.

nected to a suitable controlling -means,.such as a friction clutch or a rheostat in the power circuit of the coach so that the supply of driving power to .thecoach isvaried automatically to maintain its velocity or acceleration or retardation proportional to the predetermined velocity, acceleration or re tardation at which the fly-wheel is caused to run. This device is indicated in Figs. 2 and thy the reference 67. The precise form pf operation of this device will be described ater. I E'lectromagnetic bufi'ers arealso provided at each end of the coach so as to provide for the automatic coupling of two coaches -to-' gether by suitably energizing the magnets.

A reversing switch in the circuit of these magnets provides for uncoupling by re versing the polarity, of the magnets in the coach which is to be uncoupled- 'A special construction ofsw-itch whichis suitable for use either as a reversing switch for this electro-magnet circuit or as one of the two-way sw1tches-distributed along a track illustrated in Figs; 10, 11 and 12.

In this particular embodiment of the switch: an annularsheet 101 of brass or. other 'suit- 7 r able conductor is'cut or separated into a series of four contact-pieces 102, 103, 104 and 105 respectively.

these contact-pieces and merely serve. to .support the brush on passing from one contact to another.

The intervening pleces all marked 1&6 are separate from" h Thebrushes conveniently take v the form of resi'hent copper strips 107, 108,

these two st-ripsbein'g supported on a rotatable arm 1 09 of insulating material.v The brushes are of such length that they bridge from any one of the said contacts to an adjacent one, and by rotation of the switchmember Contact is made from any one conautomatically coupled ,up to the other coaches as V hereinbefore described when 7 the coaches are coupled together.

The other contact 93 of this pair is con nected to one contact of a twoway switch.

' 123,. whereof the other poles 124, 125, are

for example, 'to the running connected respectively to an electro-magneticoach.

The slipper 118 on the power-line 90 also supplies a reversing switch-designated gen-- era-llvby the reference 130, which controls the electro-magnetic buffers indicated at 131 and 132, these being thev front and rear bufi'ers of the coach'respectively; they are connected in, series or in parallel and are both controlled by the switch 130 so that they are always energized; The switch 130 is reversing switch, preferably of the type hereinbefore described, and it is mechanically connected with the two-way switch member 123, this mechanical connection being diagrammatically illustrated'by a rod 133. Obviously however, the two switches may be combined in a 'single casing according to the construction shown in Fig. 12.

. The, selector-switch illustrated in Fig. 5 is 'showndiagrammatically in Fig. 13. The slippers. 30, 32 are connected respectively to the contacts 67, 77 of the switch-members 62, .72, The plungers 57, 61 as illustrated are both in their outward position. The other poles of these. two switches 62, 72, are connected together and to the electro-magnet .95

(which controls the contact 92). From this electro-inagnet the circuit continues to a contact strip 134 which, is partof the speedcontrolling mechanism 'hereinbefore mentioned. The circuit, however, is continued from the contact strip 134 through a high resistance 135 and through the common return line 128 to earth at 129. Cooperating with the contact 134 is another contact ,or series of contacts 136 which are connected to a train-line 137.

The automatic speed control is efiected by means of a contact member 138 which is rotated in one direction or the other by the device 67 above-mentioned, according to whether the velocity, acceleration or retardation is greater or less than the pre-determined velocity, acceleration or retardation which is imparted to the fiy-wheel. This ro- 'tationcarries the contact-piece 138 along the contacts 134, 136 in an anti-clockwise direction if the speed is too low, or over contactstuds for the resistance 121 and the contact 129 in a clockwise direction if the speed is too, high. It will be appreciated that this QOIlStruction 1s diagrammatic and. reference rails of the I is directed to the said co-pending patent application for details of the precise operation and construction of the (ilBVlCG;

A constant speed motor is illustrated J diagrammatically at 140. In this case it is an electric motor which is connected between the power-line 90 and the earth line; 6 it. may obviously be connected. between the shoes 118, 129, but for simplicity it is shown as quite separate. This'motor' runs at a uniform speed and it is controlled by an electromagnetically-operated clutch 141 which couples it to or uncouples it from the driving'wheels according as themagnet is energized or not. This electro-magnet is connected between the train line 137 and the common return line 128. Obviously instead of an electric motor 140, any other form of motor, such for exampleas an internal combustion engine, could be used.

An electro-magnetio brake for the coach is indicated diagrammatically at 142 and it is connected between the train line 122 and the common return line 128.

lVhen a coach is standing alone in a station, both the buffers are in their out position and the two plungers 57, 61, are consequently also out so that the switches '62,

72, occupy the position shown in Fig. 13. The section 19 of the coach control line upon which the slipper 32 is making contact is dead, consequently, there is no current in the circuit 32, 77, magnet .95, contact 134, and resistance 135, similarly also there is no current through they circuit 136 137 and clutch 141. Power, however, is being supplied by the line to the constantly running motor 140 and also through the contact 94, rheostat121 andvbrak 142, so that the electro-magnetic brake is applied while the coach is standing in the station.

The fly-wheel of the governondevice, which is driven through the clutch 126from anyconvenient source ofpower, (for eXamclutch 141 and common return line 128.

The first operation on completion of this circuit is tomove the switch 92 on to the contact 93 and thereby release the brake 142. At the same time the governorrclutch 126 is energized and a uniform acceleration is' imparted to the fly-wheel.

140 to the running wheels of the coach, so that it. also starts to accelerate- Ifthe two accelerations are equal the contact piece 138 will remain stationary and the coach will be uniformly accelerated. If on the other hand the coach is accelerating too rapidly,

the contact-piece will be carried around in; a

At the same time also the clutch 141 connectsthe motor clockwise direction so that it leaves the contacts'134, 136 and will deenergize the electro-magnetic' clutch 141; If this is not sui ficient it will move farther and apply the brake 142 by completing the circuit from the shoe 118 through the switch-contacts 84,-

85, the contact 119 and resistance 121. Theacceleration and the velocity of the coach are thus caused to follow their predetermined values. 7 I

The two 'way switch 130 is in such a position that the electromagnetic 'bufi'ers 131 and 132 which are both controlled by it are oppositely energized as shown by the letters N S. I l

lVhen the coach is overtaken by a train,

the'first operation isthat its rear buffers are pushed in and the electro-magnet 132 being energized oppositely to the front magnet of the front coach of the train, the two become locked together. The coach then becomes the front coach of the trainas illustrated in Fig. 14. The initial pushing in of its rear buffers causes the plunger 57 to move inward and to rearrange the selector switches 62., 72, in :the manner illustrated in Fig. 7, and as also illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 14 on the right-hand side.

time it leaves the line 19 and it now draws its current by the slipper 30 from the line 12.. which is the continuation of the line 18in Fig. 13. The operation of the switches completes the circuit'at the contact 71 and dcenergizes the magnet to draw the strikers 31, 34 down so that they become operatifn. Also the circuit is broken at the contact 81 to deenergize the magnets and allow the strikers 33. 35 to rise to their inoperative position. There is no other rearrangement of the circuits on this car because the two switches (32, 'Z 2, are connected together to form the circuit to themagnet 95, consequently the running and control. of this coach remain unaltered. The train lines 137, 122, become automatically coupled with the other coaches as shown in Fig. 14.

Simultaneously with the pushing in of the rear butiers of this coach the front butfere of the front coach of the train over,- taking it,.are pushed in and at the cndof their inward stroke they operate on the selectorswitches on that coach adjusting them to'the settingshown in Fig. 8 in the middle of; 14.

-The new front coach now controls the wholerunning ofthe train since the regu (lQv'lC on it is connected to and supplies the two train lines and throughthem controls all the magnetic clutches 141 and magnetic brakes 142. Asjust mentioned in the case of an intermediate coach as shown in the middle portion 0t Fig. 14 both the front and rear buffers of the coach are in, so that both of the plungers 57, 61, are in,

The coupling oi the coach with the train takes place at the and the selector switches occupy the posi- 7 tion shown in Fig. 8 in which they are both disconnected from their lines 12 .(or 18) and 19 and consequently the regulating-dc vice is inoperative onevery intermediate coach.- Smnlarly on the rear coach where the selector switches occupy the. pos1t1on shown in Fig. 9, both slippers 30 and 32 on the lines 12 and 19 are isolated. Each coach, however, draws "power through its slipper'118from' the power-line 9O to'enerwheel and alsotor the electro-magnetic buflers. It'alsO draws power if necessary for its main driving motor 140 as abovementioned, but this motor is 'op'eratively connected to the wheels onlythrough its correspondingclutch v141 which is energized thrbugh the train line 137 from thefront coach. 5 e H v f Therefore a whole train is controlled by the governor device of a front coach and gize the clutch 126 for the governor fly- I whenever' a new coach becomes the front coach of atr'ain its governor takes up the control of the train and that of the previous becomes an intermediate mechanical bufi'ers of the coach being now released the selector switches 62, rearrange themselves to occupy the same po sition as in Fig. and Fig. 6. Power is now supplied to the coach from the line 19 through the slipper 32, switch.

72 and electro-magnet tothe regulator.

device. Power is also still supplied from the line 90 through the slipper 118, switch 92, contact 93 and two-way switch 123 to last coach of a train is to be front 'coachisthrown out of action, assoon the braking-device 127 for the fly-wheel-ot the automatic regulator, thereby imparting a predetermined retardation to the "flywheel. The control of the coach is now etfectedhy the automatic regulator in the manner hereinbefore described so as to maintain the retardation of the coachfequal to-or proportional to the predetermined retardation of'the fly-wheel. Power is still supplied'from the line90 to the main motor l40 in case the coach is being retarded too rapidly and it is necessary to engage the drivingmotor with the driving "wheels.-

the,

Inthe actual operation "of slipping electromagnetic buffers first release one anotheiyand their mutual repulsion causes the rear car to separate sllghtly from the train. At the. beginning of each movement the connections of the train lines 137, 122 are broken and therefore the power supply to the clutch 1 1-1 onthat coach is cut off so thatno drive is given to the coach andit therefore separates more rapidly'from the train. As soon as the coach-is clear from the train its forward buffer moves out to rearrange the selector switches, so that power will be supplied from the line 19 through the slipper 32.

- When the coach of Fig. 15 enters the station it encounters astriker M L-indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1 and this striker standing at a station, front coach of a train, intermediate coach of a train, rear coach of a train, and coach slipped from a train. I A i It will be appreciated that in order to insure the satisfactory working of a railway in the manner hereinbefore described, and more particularly in the case of automatic working, it is essential that the time in starting a coach from a station should be determined by the position of the approaching train, and that it should not be varied even by a short interval to suit the desires of passengers.

According to another feature' of the invention therefore, turnstiles or some equivalent device are provided at the station to regulate the'admission of passengers to the coach standing] at the station, and these turnstiles are preferably automatically locked and unlocked according to the position of the approaching train, In Fig. 1 a turnstile is illustrated diagrammatically at 145 and this is electro-magnetically locked and unlocked'by a switch or switches situated at a point on the track sli htly in advance of the switch a whereof the operation by a train permits the coach'to start. lVhen approaching the station'therefore the train first of all locks the turnstile 145, then it operates the switch a to cause the coach to start from the station. The turnstile may then be unlocked either by the train operating another switch or the unlocking could be effected by the coachwhich has been slipped from the train operating a second time the switch which was operated by the train to effect the locking of the turnstile. Another convenient arrangement is one in which two two-way switches are used, one

7 being operated by the operative striker on the front coach of a train, the other switch being operated by the striker at the rear end of the coach which striker is operative after the coach has been slipped.

- It will be appreciated that thecontrol of the power supply of braking of a coach and train may be effected in various ways other than that above-described Thus,'for example, the control circuits may be used to operate electro-magnetic relays which in their turn operate devicesto apply either driving power or braking power to the running wheels of the vehicles. Thus, for example, it lies within the scope of this invention to control atrain automatically in the manner above-describedwhen the driving power is supplied to'a train by say an internal-combustion engine and the brakingpower by means of ordinary compressed air brakes.

It also lies within the scope of this in- "ention to eliminate a certain amount of the automatlc control. Thus, for example, a

driver on the train might control the start ing and stopping of the fly-wheel of the automatic regulator and thereby control the speed of the train. Alternatively,it could have direct control of. the train in so far as the train equipment is concerned, while retaining the sectionalized lines which deterine the relative positions of a coach and a train.

It also lines Within the scope ofthis invention to provide for a mutual control between two trains on the line in the same.

way as control is provided between a coach and a train. In this case the line12 would be sectionalized throughout its length and the switches to control the section for a complete train would themselves be controlled by another train, preferably the train in ad- Vance of it.

l/V hat we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is -1. In a railway-system, the combination F of a track, stations disposed along it, an aggregation of vehicles constituting a train adapted to travel along the track past a station, means for establishing communication for passengers between the vehicles of said train, a vehicle adapted to stand on the track at said station'to receive passengers in it, means directing said vehicle to leave the station in advance of the said train when said train approaches within a pro-deter mined distance of said station and means permitting the said train to overtakesaid Lln a railway-system the combination of a track, a'vehicle traveling thereon at an accelerating speed, a second vehicle traveling' at a uniform speed greater than the speed'of the first vehicle upon the same track and'behind it, means operated by the first vehicle to control the movement of the second vehicle in such manner that it can overtake' the said first vehicle only when the speed of the first vehicle is approximately equal to that of the second vehicle, means operated by the second vehicle to prevent the first Vehicle attaining a speed greater than that of the second vehicle and to insure that the first vehicle shall be overtaken by the second vehicle. j i

5. Ina railway-system the combination of a track arranged as a closed ring, stations disposed along the track, an aggregation of vehicles constituting a train which does not stop at a station, means for slipping the last vehicle from the train to provide transport to each station, a vehicle allocated to each stationto provide transport therefrom,

and means directing said vehicle to start from'the station when the train is within a pre-determined distance'from the station and 'to accelerate therefrom in advance of thetrain till it attains such a speed that it can be coupled tothe train. 7,

6. Ina railway-system the combination of a track arranged as a closed ring, stations disp sed along the track, an a ggregation'of vehicles constituting a train which does not stop at a station, means for slipping the last vehicle from the train to provide transport'to each station, a vehicle allocated to 7 each station to provide transport therefrom, means directing said vehicle'to start from the station when the train is within a predetermined distance from the station and to accelerate therefrom in advance of the train till it attains such a speed thatit can be coupled to the train, means operated by the train to control the movement ofv the vehicle, means operated by the vehicle to control the movement of the train in such manner that the space between them! is "determined the distance they have traveled along the track, means for couplingsaid vehicle to the front of the train when overtaken by the train, and means establishing communication between the vehicles when coupled togethei' in a train.

7. In an electric railway-system the vcombination of a track, a coach traveling thereon at-an accelerating speed,a traintraveling at a uniform speed on the same'track behind theicoach to overtake it, a controlline for the train'divided into insulated sections, a series of switches adapted to be operated by the coach spaced along the track from' the starting point of the coach and each'controlling one of saidinsulated sections, the spacing of said switches being pie-determined from the acceleration characteristic of the coach and the velocity of the train's'o that thh coach shall have attai'neda predetermined velocity and position .before'itenergizes each of said sections v of said train-control-lirie, whereby the de crease of r the space-interval between the train and the coachis I governedby the velocity andpositi'on of-the' coach.

8 In an electricrailway-system, thexcom-z bin'ation of" a track,S-stations disposed therealong, a'tra-in thereon, a train-controlli'n'e divided into insulated sections in the neighborhood"ofQeach station thereon,- the sectioned part of theline extending in'both directions along the track from the station, aseries of switches spacedalong the track in one direction from the station, said switches each controlling the power-supply tov one of said insulated sections, a coach adapted to operate *said switches when it leaves the station, a coach-control-line divided into insulated sections and extending from the station in the direction in which the coach leaves the station, a secondseries of switches spaced alongthe track and adapted to be operated: by the tI'ttilIlLO control the power-supply to each of the sections of the coach-control-line, the 'spacingof the switches of the said first and second. series of the train so that the energizing" of each section of the coach-'control-line to permit the coach to traveltherealong shall occur only when the train has reached a pre-dcter-; mined distance from that section, and that the energizing "of the sectionsof thev traincontrol line' to {permit "the passage; of the train therea longshall take place" only when the coachi-s a pre determineddistance in van'c'e; of said section, and that the train shall bra-permitted to overtake the? coach when the coachx'has attained a speed ap proximately equal-to thatofethe train 9. In anele ctric railway-system, th'e'coinbination of track, a train controhlined-iv-ided into" insulated sections, a coach-control-line dividedtintoyinsulated sections, a

two-way switch connctedto each section'at the end'by' which avehicle leaves that section in its "normal direction of travel, one

' switches controlling 'the said section.

'10. In anelectric railway-system, the combination of a track coaches on the track, a sectionalized control-line, a pair of two-way switches interconnected with one another and with each section of said control-line to control it, said switches being spaced along the track, strikers on each coach to operate said switches by the passage of the coach, and means selectively rendering operative said strikers. i

11. In an electric railway-system the com bination of a track, coaches thereon, atraincontrol-line divided intov insulated sections, a coach'-control-line divided into insulated sections, a two-way switch connected to each insulated section at the end by which a vehicle leavesthat section in its normal direction of travel, a series of two-way switches each interconnected with a two-way switch controlling a section of the train-control-line, said series of switches being spaced along the track away from the insulated sections to which they are connected, a second series of two-way switches each interconnected with a twoavay switch controlling a section of- ,the-coach-control-line and spaced away along the track from the section to which it is connected, a striker on each coach adapted to operate the two-wayswitch at the end of the section when the coach leaves that section, a striker on each coach adapted to operate each of the first series of switches controlling the section of the train-control-line, and another striker on each coach adapted to operate each of the switches of the second series of switches controlling the sections of the ,coach-control-line, and means for selectively rendering said strikers operative,

12. In an electric railway-system, the combination of a track, a train thereon, a coach thereon, a sectionalized train-controlline,v a sectionalized coach control line, said sections and spaced along the track, strikers on each coach for operating said switches, automatic means selectively rendering said strikers operative according asa coach is coupled to a train, or is free therefrom. V v

13. In an electricrailway-system, the combination of a track, a'train thereon, a coach thereon, a sectionali-zed 'train-control-line, a sectionalized coach-control line, pairs of two;- -way switches interconnected with one. another controlling each section ofeach of the control-lines and spaced along the track, strikers on each coach for operating said switches,omeans. connecting the buffers on each: coach to said strikers to render said strikers operative or inoperative according as the b'uffersare presesd in by the engagement. of a'coach with another coach or ar extended when the coach'is free.

14. In an electric railway-system, the combination. of a track, a train thereon, a coach thereon, a sectionalized train-control-line,-. a sectionalized coach-control-line, switches interconnected with said sections and spaced along the track, electro-magnetically controlled strikers on each coach foroperating said switches, electric switches on each coach interconnected with the buffers on that. coach so as to be moved thereby to control the'circuits of the electro-magnets for the strikers, and render them selectively operative or in-V operative according as the buffers ozt a coach are free or are engaged by the buffers of another coach.

15. In an electric railwaysystem, the combination of a track, a train-control-line and a coach-control-line, each extending along.

the track, coaches on the track, power-driving means on each coach, slippers on each coach making contact respectively with the train-control-line and coach-control-line, and switches adapted to connect eitherslipper to a controlling. circuit for the said driving means. I

16. In an electric railway-system, the combination of a track, stations disposed therealong, a train-control-line extending along the track and sectionalized in the neighborhood of each station, a, coach-control-line sectionalized on that portion of it extending from a station in the direction of trafiic from that station, coaches on said track, power-driving means on each coach, two slippers on each coach making contact respectively with the coach-control-line and train-control-line, and switches adapted to connect either slipper to the controlling circuit for the said driving means, said switches being automatically operated to select one or other slipper according as a coach is coupled to the other coaches in a train or is free.

17. In an electric railway -system, the combination of a track, stations disposed therealong, atrain-control-line and a coach-control-line extending along the track and sectionalized in the neighborhood of each station, coaches on said track, power-driving means on each coach, two slippers on each coach making contact respectively with the coach-control and train-control-line,switches adapted to connect either slipper to the controlling circuit for the said driving means and operative connections between said switches and the bufi'ers on the coachto operate them according as the bufiers of the coach are engaged by the buffers of another coach or are free. y

18. In an electric railway-system,the combination of a track, stations disposed therealong, a train-control-line extending along the track and divided into insulated sections in the neighborhood of each station, a coach-control' -line divided into insulated sections on a portion of it extending from a station in the direction of traffic from that station, coaches on said traclg'track-switches spaced along the track and automatically operated by said coaches to control the said insulated sections of the train-control-line and coach-control-line respectively, power-driv- I ing means on each coach, two slippers on each coach, making contact respectively with the train-control-line and coach-controlline, movable buffers at the front and rear ends of each coach adapted to be engaged by the buffers of other coaches, switch-members operatively connected to said buffers tobe moved thereby, contacts cooperating with said switches and selectively connecting either of said slippers to a controlling circuit for said driving means, strikers on each coach adapted to selectively operate said track-switches, electro-magnets adapted to render said strikers operative, and additional contacts cooperating with said buffercperated switches to control said electromagnets.

19. In a railway-system, the combination of a track, a vehicle accelerating therealong, a second vehicle traveling on the same track behind the first vehicle, power-driving means on each vehicle, a controlling circuit for said driving means, a governor-device in said controlling circuit operative to cause the vehicle to travel at a pre-determined speed, acceleration, or retardation, and means operated by each vehicle to govern the movement of the other vehicle in such manner that the space between them is determined by the distance they have traveled along the 0 track.

20. In a railway system, the combination of a track, stationsdisposed therealong, an aggregation ofvehicles constituting a train adaptedto travel along the track past a station, means for establishing communication forpassengers between the vehicles of said train, a vehicle adapted to stand on the track at the said station to receive passengers in it, a gate controlling the admission of passengers to said coach, locking means for said gate operated by said train when it approaches within a pre-determined distance of said station, means directing said vehicle to leave the station in advance of the said train when the train approaches within a pre-determined distance of said station, and

means permitting the said train to overtake 7' the said vehicle at a pre-determined distance from said station.

21. In an electric railway-system, the combination of a track, coaches thereon, a traincontrol-line extending therealong and divided into insulated "section, a coach-controlline extending therealong and divided into insulated sections, pairs of two-way switches interconnected with and controlling each of said insulated sections, strikers on said coaches adapted to operate said switches, said switches each comprising a rotatable spindle, four contact-pieces arranged in a circle around said spindle, insulating conducting bridges carried on said spindle adapted to connect any one of said contacts to an adjacent contact and means on said spindle adapted to be engaged by said strikers of said coaches.

22; In a railway-system, the combination of a track, stations disposedtherealong, an aggregation of vehicles constituting a train which does not stop at a station, electromagnetic means coupling said vehicles together in said train, a reversing switch on a GEORGE BERTHOLD SAMUELSON. VWILLIAM HENRY GLASER. 

